איוב, פרק כ׳, פסוק י״ח

The path of a wicked person is ultimately paved with wasted effort and profound loss. Any abundance he manages to gather or steal inevitably slips through his fingers, leaving him with neither the fruits of his labor nor any sense of joy. The primary approach among commentators is that the wicked is eventually forced to return the wealth and property he took from others. Despite his efforts to consume and hold onto his ill-gotten gains, he is stripped of the ability to enjoy them [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, whatever he worked so hard to collect is wiped out by sudden disasters and financial ruin [תקות אנוש].

Adding a tragic layer to this downfall, [הרמב״ן] explains that the wicked is forced to compensate his victims using the meager earnings of his new, impoverished reality. Consequently, even the little he manages to earn honestly now cannot be enjoyed, as every bit goes toward paying off his past debts. There is a direct and precise relationship between his former riches and his current punishment. The sheer size of the wealth he once hoarded dictates the depth of the poverty and ruin that now replaces it [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. The comfort and abundance he bought during times of peace are directly exchanged for pain and sorrow [הרמב״ן], leaving him with absolutely no satisfaction from the exchange of his fortune [תקות אנוש, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Realizing that he can never return to his former prosperity, his joy is permanently lost [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

In stark contrast to the theme of stolen wealth, a unique moral perspective applies these concepts to the personal trials of a righteous person. Rather than depicting a thief, this approach describes someone who accepts physical suffering with such love that he would even invite the pain back when it leaves. When he eats or drinks, he does not seek to fully restore his former strength, but only consumes the bare minimum required to keep his body alive. Yet, even with such intense personal sacrifice, if this person fails to give charity, he will lose his spiritual standing and fail to achieve true joy. Personal suffering alone is not enough to secure atonement without active deeds of kindness [אלשיך].